API Design Roadmap
Complete guide to designing, building, securing, and scaling robust APIs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this career path.
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. It acts as an intermediary that processes requests and ensures seamless functioning of enterprise systems.
REST is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods and URLs to access data, often returning fixed data structures (over-fetching or under-fetching). GraphQL is a query language that allows clients to request exactly the data they need, making it highly efficient for complex frontend requirements.
Securing an API involves multiple layers: enforcing HTTPS, implementing robust authentication (like OAuth 2.0 or JWT), validating all input data to prevent injection attacks, using API gateways for rate limiting, and strictly defining CORS policies to prevent unauthorized cross-origin requests.
